Treatment Room at Spa Bleu

Mirror shot! These clings make pre-booking a breeze.

Photo: https://spa-bleu.com/

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The prettiest chandelier I ever did see...the windows (pictured) had to be removed to get this whopper of a decor piece into the space!

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Photo: https://spa-bleu.com/

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I’ve always been a rushed and inconsistent in my skin care routine. I spend way more time putting on my makeup in the morning than I do removing it at night. By the time I’m ready for bed, I am READY FOR BED.

But as soon as I started using Aveda’s Tulasara Wedding Masque Overnight, a moisturizer that promises “wedding-day skin every day,” I was intrigued by the simplicity and performance and started to get excited for my evening skin care ritual. Within a few days, I saw a noticeable change in the dewiness and radiance of my skin. I needed more Tulasara in my life.

I started to do my research and I learned about the new Dual Exfoliation Treatment, Aveda’s latest service offering in non-invasive, skin-renewing treatments. It combines naturally derived mechanical and biochemical exfoliation methods into one powerful service.

I headed to Spa Bleu in West Dundee, Illinois, to check it out for myself. Spa Bleu is located in an adorable historic village in wayyyyy-suburban Chicago. And while the “pond” might be small, owner Tammy Coakleyhas a “big fish” mindset. She’s always attending advanced education, completely renovated her salon and spa into a super-chic space with a chandelier at the main entrance that I couldn’t take my eyes off of, and has a staff that oozes compliments on what it’s like to work for her.

My esthetician’s name was Megan Andrews. She’s worked for the salon and spa for 10 years and is so aligned with Aveda’s mission and culture that she serves as the salon’s in-house trainer. Throughout the year she attends advanced education to learn new techniques, services and products to then share and demonstrate with the extended spa team. I hit the technician jackpot.

After changing into a terrycloth robe and elastic-lined towel, I was welcomed into the treatment room with an aromatic steam towel foot ritual that kicked off the relaxation process.

At Spa Bleu, there are two treatment options—a 60-minute service priced at $130 or a 90-minute service priced at $175. BONUS: Spa Bleu offers guests a $20 incentive to experience the treatment for the first visit.

My makeup was removed and my skin was cleansed, and then Tourmaline Charged Skin Refiner was applied using a skin revitalizing refining technique. It felt sort of like a mask that was massaged into my skin, and then buffed off to jump start the exfoliation. Next, Perfecting Plant Peel was applied and it initiated these sort of bursts of warmth as it was applied to my skin. (Yes, Megan warned me it was coming.) Throughout the rest of the treatment, there were several phases of warming and cooling that Megan said provided the performance of a peel, but clients leave without redness. And she wasn’t kidding. The Outer Peace Professional Cooling Masque not only left my skin hydrated, but it made my skin feel tighter, perked up and alert, sans redness.

From the chimes during the deep breathing, to the scent I hand-picked for my service, and the shoulder-neck massage that closed the service, this may be marketed as more of a treatment but it was certainly relaxing from start to finish.

“This treatment has excited our esthetic team due to the high level of performance the service delivers to guests,” says Spa Bleu’s Leadership and Esthetics team, which services about 65 Dual Exfoliation treatments each month. “This excitement has prompted our team to do on-location skin care events which have resulted in opportunity to discuss the treatment benefits, prebook appointments and educate and recommend a treatment plan for home care. The addition of Tulasara has increased retail sales on average 15% per location.”

I’ll admit that anything that if it comes from nature and doesn’t have any serious chemicals, I’m a bit of a skeptic of performance. But after experiencing the Dual Exfoliation Treatment facial for myself, I’m a believer.

Tu’el is focused on finding a skin care regiment that is individualized by a client’s specific needs and skin type. It focuses on the various characteristics of each skin type—dry, combination, oily, reactive, acne and mature—and what Tu’el solutions can be used to benefit it.

Dermalogica has just announced a new opportunity for salon industry professionals to boost their business skills and take their salon business to the next level, a full tuition scholarship to the Dermalogica Entrepreneurship Training Program with Santa Monica College.

Especially in the dry, cool winter months, skin can struggle staying moisturized. Alana Mitchell, licensed esthetician, salon owner, and founder and owner of Alana Mitchell SkinCare and SkinCare by Alana, discusses how to combat dry skin, and why it’s important for your clients to do so.